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MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chicago Commission on Human Relations Passes Gender Resolution

Contact:
Beth Plotner
It's Time, Illinois!
P.O. Box 3932
Oak Park, IL 60303

312-409-5489
ItsTimeIL@aol.com (ITIL office) or

BethChi@aol.com (Beth direct)

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Chicago, IL --- July 28, 1999 --- Today the Chicago Commission on Human Relations ("CCHR") adopted a resolution urging the Chicago City Council to amend its Human Rights Ordinance so as to include gender identity and self-image. Commission Member Laura Rissover introduced the resolution. After the introduction of the resolution, Beth Plotner, Vice Chair of It's Time, Illinois, addressed the Commission about the serious need for legislation to protect the civil rights of gender variant people. To illustrate this point, copies of the two most recent discrimination reports compiled by It's Time, Illinois were distributed to the members of the Commission, along with an informational pamphlet.

Prior to voting on the resolution, the members of the Commission clearly demonstrated their understanding of the problems confronting gender variant people, and brought up the need to address gender identity and self-image issues in other City of Chicago ordinances. For instance, it was suggested that the Fair Housing Ordinance should also be amended to include protections for gender identity and self-image. Additionally, it was pointed out that other ordinances could be affected as well. The original resolution was therefore amended so as to urge City Council to provide gender identity and self-image protections in the Human Rights Ordinance, the Fair Housing Ordinance, and any other Ordinance that might be affected. On their own initiative, therefore, the CCHR members made the resolution broader in scope and more responsive to the overall needs of gender variant population of Chicago.

The amended resolution passed unanimously. After the vote was taken, Clarence Wood, Chairman of the Commission, commented on how happy he was about the passage of the resolution. He went on to say, however, that it was now the time to get down to the serious work of educating the aldermen about the importance of enacting the proposed amendments into law.